According to L’Equipe, Everton have stepped up in their pursuit of Olympique Lyon attacker Bertrand Traore. The Toffees have held talks with the French outfit regarding Traore’s potential switch to the Goodison Park in recent days.
The report claims that Lyon are likely to offload the Burkinabe attacker this summer. And they will be willing to let go of their prized asset if a significant amount is placed on the table. It remains unclear exactly how much Traore would cost, although Daily Mail reported last month that Everton might need to fork out £40 million for the attacker.
Bertrand Traore’s mixed season at Lyon
After a disastrous spell at Chelsea, Traore had become a massive hit following his move to Olympique Lyon back in 2017. The 23-year-old was involved in as many as 20 goals in his debut campaign at the club, helping Les Gones finish third in the league table.
This season, however, Traore hasn’t been that influential, scoring just seven goals in 34 matches. He was a regular first-team player at Lyon during the first half of the campaign. But, in recent months, Traore’s popularity has taken a huge hit.
The Burkinabe international featured in only 330 minutes of league football since the start of March – losing his place primarily to Maxwell Cornet.
What can Traore bring to the table?
Primarily a right winger, Traore loves to take on defenders and always looks to move forward whenever he gets the ball. He is a tricky customer for the defenders as he can use a quick drop of the shoulders or make a sharp turn to get past players very easily. He has averaged 1.5 successful dribbles per game this past season.
The 23-year-old is also quite a feisty attacker – making him very difficult to be shrugged off the ball. And this could be useful in the Premier League. Also, Traore has a strong left foot and has averaged an impressive 1.9 shots per game. This is indicative of his quality as a snapshooter.
Should Everton make a move for Traore?
Traore would be a welcome addition to Everton this summer. Marco Silva has struggled with reliable options in the wide-department this past season, with Theo Walcott and Ademola Lookman both failing to crack the first-team.
Traore, in that regard, will provide the Portuguese mastermind with additional options in the final third. However, a lot will depend on how much Lyon demand for the Burkinabe winger as anything around £40 million is obviously way too expensive for the Toffees.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
